the passing of the frontier-第6部分

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ies　the　revolver　on　the　left；　the　butt　pointing　forward。

An　essential　part　of　the　cow…puncher's　outfit　was　his　〃rope。〃　This　was　carried　in　a　close　coil　at　the　side　of　the　saddle…horn；　fastened　by　one　of　the　many　thongs　scattered　over　the　saddle。　In　the　Spanish　country　it　was　called　reata　and　even　today　is　sometimes　seen　in　the　Southwest　made　of　rawhide。　In　the　South　it　was　called　a　lariat。　The　modern　rope　is　a　well…made　three…quarter…inch　hemp　rope　about　thirty　feet　in　length；　with　a　leather　or　rawhide　eye。　The　cowboy's　quirt　was　a　short　heavy　whip；　the　stock　being　of　wood　or　iron　covered　with　braided　leather　and　carrying　a　lash　made　of　two　or　three　heavy　loose　thongs。　The　spur　in　the　old　days　had　a　very　large　rowel　with　blunt　teeth　an　inch　long。　It　was　often　ornamented　with　little　bells　or　oblongs　of　metal；　the　tinkling　of　which　appealed　to　the　childlike　nature　of　the　Plains　rider。　Their　use　was　to　lock　the　rowel。

His　bridlefor；　since　the　cowboy　and　his　mount　are　inseparable；　we　may　as　well　speak　of　his　horse's　dress　alsowas　noticeable　for　its　tremendously　heavy　and　cruel　curbed　bit；　known　as　the　〃Spanish　bit。〃　But　in　the　ordinary　riding　and　even　in　the　exciting　work　of　the　old　round…up　and　in　〃cutting　out；〃　the　cowboy　used　the　bit　very　little；　nor　exerted　any　pressure　on　the　reins。　He　laid　the　reins　against　the　neck　of　the　pony　opposite　to　the　direction　in　which　he　wished　it　to　go；　merely　turning　his　hand　in　the　direction　and　inclining　his　body　in　the　same　way。　He　rode　with　the　pressure　of　the　knee　and　the　inclination　of　the　body　and　the　light　side…shifting　of　both　reins。　The　saddle　was　the　most　important　part　of　the　outfit。　It　was　a　curious　thing；　this　saddle　developed　by　the　cattle　trade；　and　the　world　has　no　other　like　it。　Its　great　weightfrom　thirty　to　forty　poundswas　readily　excusable　when　one　remembers　that　it　was　not　only　seat　but　workbench　for　the　cowman。　A　light　saddle　would　be　torn　to　pieces　at　the　first　rush　of　a　maddened　steer；　but　the　sturdy　frame　of　a　cow…saddle　would　throw　the　heaviest　bull　on　the　range。　The　high　cantle　would　give　a　firmness　to　the　cowboy's　seat　when　he　snubbed　a　steer　with　a　sternness　sufficient　to　send　it　rolling　heels　over　head。　The　high　pommel；　or　〃horn；〃　steel…forged　and　covered　with　cross　braids　of　leather；　served　as　anchor　post　for　this　same　steer；　a　turn　of　the　rope　about　it　accomplishing　that　purpose　at　once。　The　saddle…tree　forked　low　down　over　the　pony's　back　so　that　the　saddle　sat　firmly　and　could　not　readily　be　pulled　off。　The　great　broad　cinches　bound　the　saddle　fast　till　horse　and　saddle　were　practically　one　fabric。　The　strong　wooden　house　of　the　old　heavy　stirrup　protected　the　foot　from　being　crushed　by　the　impact　of　the　herd。　The　form　of　the　cow…saddle　has　changed　but　little；　although　today　one　sees　a　shorter　seat　and　smaller　horn；　a　〃swell　front〃　or　roll；　and　a　stirrup　of　open　〃ox…bow〃　pattern。

The　round…up　was　the　harvest　of　the　range。　The　time　of　the　calf　round…up　was　in　the　spring　after　the　grass　had　become　good　and　after　the　calves　had　grown　large　enough　for　the　branding。　The　State　Cattle　Association　divided　the　entire　State　range　into　a　number　of　round…up　districts。　Under　an　elected　round…up　captain　were　all　the　bosses　in　charge　of　the　different　ranch　outfits　sent　by　men　having　cattle　in　the　round…up。　Let　us　briefly　draw　a　picture　of　this　scene　as　it　was。

Each　cowboy　would　have　eight　or　ten　horses　for　his　own　use；　for　he　had　now　before　him　the　hardest　riding　of　the　year。　When　the　cow…puncher　went　into　the　herd　to　cut　out　calves　he　mounted　a　fresh　horse；　and　every　few　hours　he　again　changed　horses；　for　there　was　no　horse　which　could　long　endure　the　fatigue　of　the　rapid　and　intense　work　of　cutting。　Before　the　rider　stretched　a　sea　of　interwoven　horns；　waving　and　whirling　as　the　densely　packed　ranks　of　cattle　closed　in　or　swayed　apart。　It　was　no　prospect　for　a　weakling；　but　into　it　went　the　cow…puncher　on　his　determined　little　horse；　heeding　not　the　plunging；　crushing；　and　thrusting　of　the　excited　cattle。　Down　under　the　bulks　of　the　herd；　half　hid　in　the　whirl　of　dust；　he　would　spy　a　little　curly　calf　running；　dodging；　and　twisting；　always　at　the　heels　of　its　mother；　and　he　would　dart　in　after；　following　the　two　through　the　thick　of　surging　and　plunging　beasts。　The　sharp…eyed　pony　would　see　almost　as　soon　as　his　rider　which　cow　was　wanted　and　he　needed　small　guidance　from　that　time　on。　He　would　follow　hard　at　her　heels；　edging　her　constantly　toward　the　flank　of　the　herd；　at　times　nipping　her　hide　as　a　reminder　of　his　own　superiority。　In　spite　of　herself　the　cow　would　gradually　turn　out　toward　the　edge；　and　at　last　would　be　swept　clear　of　the　crush；　the　calf　following　close　behind　her。　There　was　a　whirl　of　the　rope　and　the　calf　was　laid　by　the　heels　and　dragged　to　the　fire　where　the　branding　irons　were　heated　and　ready。

Meanwhile　other　cow…punchers　are　rushing　calves　to　the　branding。　The　hubbub　and　turmoil　increase。　Taut　ropes　cross　the　ground　in　many　directions。　The　cutting　ponies　pant　and　sweat；　rear　and　plunge。　The　garb　of　the　cowboy　is　now　one　of　white　alkali　which　hangs　gray　in　his　eyebrows　and　moustache。　Steers　bellow　as　they　surge　to　and　fro。　Cows　charge　on　their　persecutors。　Fleet　yearlings　break　and　run　for　the　open；　pursued　by　men　who　care　not　how　or　where　they　ride。

We　have　spoken　in　terms　of　the　past。　There　is　no　calf　round…up　of　the　open　range　today。　The　last　of　the　roundups　was　held　in　Routt　County；　Colorado；　several　years　ago；　so　far　as　the　writer　knows；　and　it　had　only　to　do　with　shifting　cattle　from　the　summer　to　the　winter　range。

After　the　calf　round…up　came　the　beef　round…up；　the　cowman's　final　harvest。　This　began　in　July　or　August。　Only　the　mature　or　fatted　animals　were　cut　out　from　the　herd。　This　〃beef　cut〃　was　held　apart　and　driven　on　ahead　from　place　to　place　as　the　round…up　progressed。　It　was　then　driven　in　by　easy　stages　to　the　shipping　point　on　the　railroad；　whence　the　long　trainloads　of　cattle　went　to　the　great　markets。

In　the　heyday　of　the　cowboy　it　was　natural　that　his　chief　amusements　should　be　those　of　the　outdoor　air　and　those　more　or　less　in　line　with　his　employment。　He　was　accustomed　to　the　sight　of　big　game；　and　so　had　the　edge　of　his　appetite　for　its　pursuit　worn　off。　Yet　he　was　a　hunter；　just　as　every　Western　man　was　a　hunter　in　the　times　of　the　Western　game。　His　weapons　were　the　rifle；　revolver；　and　rope；　the　latter　two　were　always　with　him。　With　the　rope　at　times　he　captured　the　coyote；　and　under　special　conditions　he　has　taken　deer　and　even　antelope　in　this　way；　though　this　was　of　course　most　unusual　and　only　possible　under　chance　conditions　of　ground　and　cover。　Elk　have　been　roped　by　cowboys　many　times；　and　it　is　known　that　even　the　mountain　sheep　has　been　so　taken；　almost　incredible　as　that　may　seem。　The　young　buffalo　were　easy　prey　for　the　cowboy　and　these　he　often　roped　and　made　captive。　In　fact　the　beginnings　of　all　the　herds　of　buffalo　now　in　captivity　in　this　country　were　the　calves　roped　and　secured　by　cowboys；　and　these　few　scattered　individuals　of　a　grand　race　of　animals　remain　as　melancholy　reminders　alike　of　a　national　shiftlessness　and　an　individual　skill　and　daring。

The　grizzly　was　at　times　seen　by　the　cowboys　on　the　range；　and　if　it　chanced　that　several　cowboys　were　together　it　was　not　unusual　to　give　him　chase。　They　did　not　always　rope　him；　for　it　was　rarely　that　the　nature　of　the　country　made　this　possible。　Sometimes　they　roped　him　and　wished　they　could　let　him　go；　for　a　grizzly　bear　is　uncommonly　active　and　straightforward　in　his　habits　at　close　quarters。　The　extreme　difficulty　of　such　a　combat；　however；　gave　it　its　chief　fascination　for　the　cowboy。　Of　course；　no　one　horse　could　hold　the　bear　after　it　was　roped；　but；　as　one　after　another　came　up；　the　bear　was　caught　by　neck　and　foot　and　body；　until　at　last　he　was　tangled　and　tripped　and　hauled　about　till　he　was　helpless；　strangled；　and　nearly　dead。　It　is　said　that　cowboys　have　so　brought　into　camp　a　grizzly　bear；　forcing　him　to　half　walk　and　half　slide　at　the　end　of　the　ropes。　No　feat　better　than　this　could　show　the　courage　of　the　plainsman　and　of　the　horse　which　he　so　perfectly　controlled。

Of　such　wild　and　dangerous　exploits　were　the　cowboy's　amusements　on　the　range。　It　may　be　imagined　what　were　his　amusements　when　he　visited　the　〃settlements。〃　The　cow…punchers；　reared　in　the　free　life　of　the　open　air；　under　circumstances　of　the　utmost　freedom　of　individual　action；　perhaps　came　off　the　drive　or　round…up　after　weeks　or　months　of　unusual　restraint　or　hardship；　and　felt　that　the　time　had　arrived　for　them　to　〃celebrate。〃　Merely　great　rude　children；　as　wild　and　untamed　and　untaught　as　the　herds　they　led；　they　regarded　their　first　look　at　the　〃settlements〃　of　the　railroads　as　a　glimpse　of　a　wider　world。　They　pursued　to　the　uttermost　such　avenues　of　new　experience　as　lay　before　them；　almost　without　exception　avenues　of　vice。　It　is　strange　that　the　records　of　those　days　should　be　chosen　by　the　public　to　be　held　as　the　measure　of　the　American　cowboy。　Those　days　were　brief；　and　they　are　long　since　gone。　The　American　cowboy　atoned　for　them　by　a　quarter　of　a　century　of　faithful　labor。

The　amusements　of　the　cowboy　were　like　the　features　of　his　daily　surroundings　and　occupationthey　were　intense；　large；　Homeric。　Yet；　judged　at　his　work；　no　higher　type　of　employee　ever　existed；　nor　one　more　dependable。　He　was　the　soul　of　honor　in　all　the　ways　of　his　calling。　The　very　blue　of　the　sky；　bending　evenly　over　all　men　alike；　seemed　to　symbolize　his　instinct　for　justice。　Faithfulness　and　manliness　were　his　chief　traits；　his　standardto　be　a　〃square　man。〃

Not　all　the　open　range　will　ever　be　farmed；　but　very　much　that　was　long　thought　to　be　irreclaimable　has　gone　under　irrigation　or　is　being　more　or　less　successfully　〃dryfarmed。〃　The　man　who　brought　water　upon　the　arid　lands　of　the　West　changed　the　entire　complexion　of　a　vast　country　and　with　it　the　industries　of　that　country。　Acres　redeemed　from　the　desert　and　added　to　the　realm　of　the　American　farmer　were　taken　from　the　realm　of　the　American　cowboy。

The　West　has　changed。　The　curtain　has　dropped　between　us　and　its　wild　and　stirring　scenes。　The　old　days　are　gone。　The　house　dog　sits　on　the　hill　where　yesterday　the　coyote